Category Archives: Uncategorized

Washington State’s new Fair Chance Act went into effect June 6th, 2018. This version of a ban-the-box law specifically prohibits employers from obtaining information, either in writing or verbally, about job applicants prior arrests or convictions until after the applicant is determined to be qualified or the position. Once a candidate has been identified as…

HR experts agree that small and medium sized businesses should create handbooks as protection from lawsuits, but handbooks can also serve to welcome and inform new employees in a positive way. The success of a handbook is determined by what policies are included and how they are worded. A good handbook is a living document…

Hidden Employee Issues – Looking For The Signs In a previous article, I examined how to avoid being the last one to know about a problem employee in your office. We focused on how to not be blinded to an employee’s “soft” performance by their high output of “hard,” or physical, product. We also explored…

The Pacific Northwest has been on the front line of the minimum wage increase movement. Both Oregon’s and Washington’s minimum wage increased effective January 1, 2015 – along with 20 other states and the District of Columbia. Now comes the time for questions commonly asked during minimum wage adjustments. What do I do with my…

There’s a toxic employee in your office. Who knew? Well, as it turns out, everyone but you. Counterintuitive though it may seem, the head honcho is often the last one to hear about a destructive employee in his or her own workplace. When the awareness does come, it often arrives once a situation has escalated…

It’s a well-known fact: Ever since the recent Great Recession, companies have had a crush of job candidates and a leisurely amount of time in which to reach their hiring decisions. Right? Well, perhaps. Until now, that is. If you buy the doom-and-gloom news stories from some of the major pundits, you might get the…

In the movies, it’s tempting to root for the bad guy. Loving to hate the villain keeps the plot rolling and our pulses racing. And we can do it guilt free, because we know the bad guy always gets his (or hers) in the end. In the world of business, having a bad guy reputation…

As most Oregonian football fans know, former University of Oregon (U of O) head football coach Chip Kelly has always been a bit unpredictable. It’s been business as usual in his new role as head coach for the National Football League’s (NFL’s) Philadelphia Eagles. During last month’s NFL draft, Kelly pulled a game changer on…